1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a loading apparatus (loader) attached to a working vehicle so as to be used for loading sand, bulk and so on.
2. Background Art
Generally, a front loader, serving as a loading apparatus attached to a working vehicle, includes a pair of left and right lift arms, a bucket connected to tips of the lift arms, a cylinder for lifting the lift arms, and a cylinder for rotating the bucket.
A normal front loader disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Gazette No. Hei 8-27842 is attached onto brackets secured on left and right sides of a rear portion of a bonnet of a tractor, serving as a working vehicle. The tractor is provided with a cylinder for rotating the lift arms below the lift arms of the front loader, and is provided with a bucket link below the lift arms. An intermediate link is attached onto an upper portion of each of the lift arms. The bucket link extended from the bracket is connected through the intermediate link to a bucket cylinder, which is telescopically moved for swinging the bucket. In the front loader, having this construction disclosed in the document, the linkage for swinging the bucket is formed straight above the lift arms. The linkage for swinging the bucket of the front loader includes two rotatable members attached to each of the lift arms between the bucket and each of the brackets secured on the respective sides of the bonnet of the tractor, thereby being prevented from interfering with the lift arms.
To reduce the whole length of the working vehicle, including the front loader equipped on the vehicle, the pivot points of the lift arms are required to move toward the working vehicle, however, the lift arms have to be prevented from interfering with wheels of the working vehicle.
If the lift arms are curved to be prevented from interfering with the wheels, the intermediate link for relaying the action of the bucket cylinder has to be expanded so as to prevent the linkage for the bucket from interfering with the lift arms. The expansion of the intermediate link increases the weight of the loader, and narrows an operator's ken for viewing the bucket.